People Want Dwayne Johnson To Be President - Here's Why He'll Likely Never Run

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been a wrestler and an actor — and some want to see him as U.S. president. Entertainers have transitioned to politics before, including Donald Trump (and even Trump's biggest lawsuits didn't stop him from campaigning for another term in 2024). Johnson mentioned political ambitions previously, telling People in 2016 that he used to joke about running for president as a joke. Still, he noticed people asking him led him to have "a real genuine interest." Then in a 2017 interview with Ellen DeGeneres alongside Kevin Hart, Johnson said, "I am seriously considering it, yes," about a presidential campaign. 

A Piplsay poll from 2021 interviewed over 30,000 people, 29% of whom said they wanted to see both Johnson and actor Matthew McConaughey run for office (McConaughey had discussed running for governor of Texas). An additional 17% said Johnson only was someone they wanted to see run. At the time, Johnson shared the stats on Instagram, adding, "I don't think our Founding Fathers EVER envisioned a six-four, bald, tattooed, half-Black, half-Samoan, tequila drinking, pick up truck driving, fanny pack wearing guy joining their club — but if it ever happens it'd be my honor to serve you, the people."

In a 2023 interview on "What Now? with Trevor Noah," however, Johnson made it clear that politics wasn't his current path. Although he was "honored" by that poll, and more than one political party contacted him about running, Johnson has a different priority: his family.

On "What Now? with Trevor Noah," Dwayne Johnson explained how the political parties that reached out to him about a presidential run mentioned the 2021 poll and additional data showing that he could succeed if he tried. "It was all very surreal because that's never been my goal," Dwayne said. "My goal has never been to be in politics. As a matter of fact, there's a lot about politics that I hate." Then, Dwayne explained how his family situation made him question starting a political career.

Dwayne has three daughters, aged 22, 7, and 5 at the time of the podcast interview. When his eldest daughter, Simone Johnson, was a kid, Dwayne was away from home a lot due to his wrestling career. (Simone didn't go to college, and has embarked on her own wrestling career like her father.) Dwayne continued, "So I know what it's like to have that separation and not be there for the birthdays, not be there for the pickups, the drop-offs and everything else. And I didn't want that. I don't want that for my little ones now."

The "Baywatch" actor didn't totally shut the door on a potential presidential run, however. "If that's ultimately what the people would want, then of course I would consider it," he said. Noah called him "the people's champ!"

Following that podcast appearance, Dwayne Johnson was interviewed on "The Tonight Show" in November 2023. Jimmy Fallon brought up Johnson's recent interview with Trevor Noah and Johnson said, "It's crazy, it's wild," when asked about his feelings on people approaching him to be a presidential candidate. He expressed gratitude that people think about that for him and said, "I think down the road, for sure," when asked about running. Johnson reiterated that he is a "proud girl dad" and doesn't want a job that puts his role as a father on the back burner. 

Although being the president is not on Johnson's radar at this time, his sitcom "Young Rock," hinted at those ambitions. The show covered past stories from his life and was written as a frame narrative, through the lens of interviews while the fictionalized version of Johnson was campaigning for the 2032 presidential election.

If Johnson did run for president, it would likely be when his younger daughters were much older. However, just because he isn't scrambling for a seat in the Oval Office doesn't mean Johnson hasn't been spotted around Washington D.C. Also in November 2023, Johnson visited Capitol Hill and chatted with some senators. According to The Hill, they discussed things like military recruitment and Johnson's football league, the XFL (now the UFL, United Football League). Deadline reported that Johnson didn't answer questions about a future presidential run while being photographed with Chuck Schumer.